Form tie



July 12, 1966 F. E. BUYKEN 3,260,495

FORM TIE Filed May 4, 1964 INVENTOR. FRANK E. 50%?! BY smifi 41422311 ATTORNEVS United States Patent 3,260,495 FORM TIE Frank E. Buyken, 8620 Island Drive, Seattle, Wash. Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,512 4 Claims. (Cl. 249-214) This invention relates to an improved concrete formtie and, more particularly, to the provision of a formabutting flange secured and positioned on such tie-rod by thread-like means.

This invention provides improvements over the formtie disclosed in my US. Patent No. 3,075,272, issued January 29, 1963 and is specifically concerned with the shape of washer provided with thread-forming means operable to obtain securement at various desired positions on a form-tie rod swelled intermediate its ends. Distinguishing novelty will become more apparent during the course of the following description.

Probably the most important object of this invention is the provision of an improved method of forming washers to be employed in flanging form-ties and in the mode whereby such washers attach and are located on the tie rods. Another object has been to provide a flanged formtie in which the spacing between the washer and the end of the tie rod may be simply and easily varied in the field by the use of simple tools and without requiring ahigh degree of skill in the mechanic. Other objects have been to provide a form-tie which, by reason of its design lends its'elf well to modern, high-speed manufacturing procedures whereby volume production may be economically and efiiciently obtained with relatively unskilled labor and simple production tools.

Essentially, the invention is concerned with lancing a washer outward from its center opening and then distorting an edge, or both edges, of the lance cut out of the plane of the washer and generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the washer. In some instances it is satisfactory to make a single lancing cut, whereas in other circumstances, two, three or even four such cuts may be desirable. The preferred arrangement is that the lancing cut or cuts be radial of the axis of the washer and terminate in spaced relation to the outer periphery of the washer. The invention, accomplishing the foregoing objects and others which will become more apparent hereafter, is shown in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a tie rod embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevation view of an end portion of the rod of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a face view of a form-abutting washer according to the present invention;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are cross-section views on lilies 44 and 55 respectively of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view giving exemplary dimensions of a tie rod as in this invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a tie rod 10 is provided with flattened portions 12 conventionally employed to obtain a locking engagement between the rod and concrete in which it may be embedded. Rod 10 has break points 14 near its ends whereby, upon the application of a twisting force to the outer end of the rod when the rod is embedded in concrete, and end portion may be broken away. The outer ends 11, 11 of the rod have button heads 16 or any other suitable means whereby the rod ends may be engaged so that tension may be applied to the rod while it is in the form prior to and during the pouring of concrete.

The form-abutting washers 18 are shown in detail in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. Usually the washers are circular and have an axial opening 20 slightly larger in diameter than the normal diameter of rod 10 and slightly smaller 3,260,495 Patented July 12, 1966 in diameter than swelled portions 22. For example, a popular and widely used rod diameter is a .225". Hole or opening 20 is usually from .010" to .020" larger than the rod normal diameter.

By an upsetting or swelling operation, practiced by use of gripping and forming tools, I prefer to swell the rod portion 24 to .250", and rod portion 26 to .257" as shown in FIG. 6. The second and larger swelled portion 26 is contiguously inward relative the headed rod end 11 and of the first swelled portion 24. In this instance, washer 18 has a diameter for opening 20 of slightly less than .250". Under such circumstances, the washer 18 is easily slipped over the .225" end 11 of rod 10 before the latter is provided with head 16. The washer is then pressed securely preferably without rotation onto swelled portion 24 and against the abutment 25 between swelled portions 24 and 26. It has also been found desirable on occasion to form an annular flange 23 on the outer end of portion 24 adjacent the inner end of rod portion 11.

Normally, the distance between the outer faces of a pair of Washers 1818 as shown in FIGURE 1 has a factory predetermined dimension A. A series of tie rods usually increase as to dimension A from 6" upward at the rate of about or 1" for each change of size. This is a custom in the manufacture of such tie rods because, with high speed manufacturing procedures and equipment, it is desirable to manufacture standard or given sizes for a substantial number of rods. The production of non-standard rods requires special operations and the machine attendant has to constantly adjust and vary hisequipment.

It thus becomes apparent that one of the important objects of this invention is to provide structure permitting a user to space the washers 1818 apart a distance A less some part of said distance to meet specific formspacing requirements. If it be assumed that the distance A in a given tie rod is 8" and the builders specification calls for a form spacing of 7%", it will be seen that the washers 18, 18 need to be closed together by approximately /3". The movement of the washers 18 is accomplished rotatively by a thread-cutting action.

Washer 18 in a machine punching operation is lanced to provide a cut 28 or, on occasion, lance cuts 28 and 30 as indicated in FIGURE 3. A lance cut shears the metal but no metal is removed. Preferably, at the same time that the lance cut is made, an edge of the cut is displaced or distorted out of the plane of the washer in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the washer. Or both edges of the cut may be thus displaced or distorted each in a direction opposite the other.

When the washers have been lance cut and formed as described, they are tempered or hardened to a degree greater than the hardness of the swelled portion of the rod. For example, a Rockwell C scale hardness of 6065 is suitable for a rod having on the same scale a hardness rating of 3040. The washers may best be case hardened after lancing and forming. Preferably, this superior hardness in the washers is such that the inner corners or teeth 32, 32 of the displaced portions will function as cutters during rotation of the washer to remove metal from the swelled portion 26 of the rod, leaving thread-like, helical grooves 27. Where, as in FIGURE 5, there are two such displaced edges 32, a double thread-like cut is made. Conversely, where there is a single lance cut, as described, there will be but a single thread-like groove cut in the rod. It has been found that by governing the degree of displacement or distortion of the edges of the lance cuts of washers 18 a lead can be imparted so that a half rotation of the washer relative the rod will advance the same 43" and a full rotation advances the washer A". This is a convenience to the worker in reducing the dimension A, in accordance with the requirementsof the builders specification, without necessarily having to make an adjustment, then a measurement and then an adjustment.

It has been found that when a washer having an opening 20 which is slightly greater than .225" is forced onto the swelled portion 24, the teeth 32 normally bite into and grip the metal suificiently to hold the washer 18 in place during completion of manufacture, shop and transportation handling, and movement to the point of use. Normally the washer is first pressed to engagement with shoulder 25. At that point, or elsewhere, as may be determined from experience, the washer 18 may be readily rotated, as described, to adjust the dimension A as desired. I

The flange 23 may be about .257" in diameter and about .007" in thickness. Its primary purpose is to prevent an initially placed washer 18 from becoming misplaced or dislodged during handling of the tie rods. The washer is forced past the flange 23, with teeth 32 cutting through the relatively weak flange and biting into portion 24.

In FIGURES 3 and are shown a pair of holes 36, 36 diametrically opposite each other. A spanner wrench (not shown) having projecting pins or horns spaced apart the distance between holes 36, 36 may be engaged in said holes. The workman uses this wrench to rotate a washer 18 while the rod is being held against rotation.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may desirably be made in metals employed, in the relative hardness between washer and rod materials, in the lancing. of the washer as to the number of lance cuts and their direction, and otherwise as to shape and so forth. All those falling within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims are intended to be covered herein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a concrete-form tie-rod, the combination, comprising:

a first swelled portion on said rod;

1 a second larger swelled portion on said rod contiguously inward of said first swelled portiong. and a radially lanced and longitudinally distorted washer pressed securely on said first swelled portion adjacent said second swelled portion; said washer having a hardness markedly greater than the hardness of said swelled portions. 7 2. In a concrete-form tie-rod, the combination, comprising:

a swelled portion on said rod located in spaced relation inward of an end, and a radially lanced and longitudinally distorted washer pressed securely against said swelled portion, said washer having a hardness markedly greater than the hardness of said swelled portion. 3. In a concrete-form tie-rod, the combination, comprising: I

a swelled portion on said rod located in spaced relation inward of an end; and a lanced and longitudinally distorted washer on said rod pressed securely against said swelled portion, said washer having a hardness markedly greater than the hardness of said swelled portion. 4. The structure according to claim 3 in which there is an annular flange on said swelled portion past which said washer is pressed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 977,710 12/1910 Craig 8 5-36 3,075,272 1/1963 Buyken 249214 FOREIGN PATENTS 613,870 2/1961 Canada. J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

G. A. KAP, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONCRETE-FORM TIE-ROD, THE COMBINATION, COMPRISING: A FIRST SWELLED PORTION ON SAID ROD; A SECOND LARGER SWELLED PORTION ON SAID ROD CONTIGUOUSLY INWARD OF SAID FIRST SWELLED PORTION; AND A RADIALLY LANCED AND LONGITUDINALLY DISTORTED WASHER PRESSED SECURELY ON SAID FIRST SWELLED PORTION ADJACENT SAID SECOND SWELLED PORTION; SAID WASHER HAVING A HARDNESS MARKEDLY GREATER THAN THE HARDNESS OF SAID SWELLED PORTIONS. 